Exclude specific files from a depot

You can configure your workspace so that some of the files or folders it contains are not copied into the depot associated with your workspace. These might be automatic backup files, build files, log files, configuration scripts, personal notes, or anything else that you want to exclude from source control.

To learn how to create a files with rules for excluding files from the depot, watch this video or review the instructions following the video.

1. In the root directory of your workspace, create a file named p4ignore.txt if you are on Windows, and .p4ignore if you are on Linux or macOS.

2. Add to this file the rules you want. For example:

   # Do not add back-up files to the depot
   *.BAK
   # I don't need temporary files to be under source control
   *.tmp
   # Ignore any PNG files
   *.png
   # Also exclude any files in my Drafts folder
   Drafts\

3. Click Add.
4. On the Workspace tab, verify that + appears for the files you want to add to the depot, and that + does not appear for the files you want the depot to ignore.
   

   

5. Click OK.

6. Click Submit.

If you want more details and options for rules, or want to create a rules file with a customized name, see the P4IGNORE environment variable in the Helix Core Command-Line (P4) Reference.